This was one of those days when the sky kept looking like it might rain any time, I didn’t feel like walking very far, and just wanted to putz around with art stuff.

Tree Sketch Detail, Graphite Pencil (Click image to enlarge)

This little clump of trees sits right outside our door. I’ve sketched it a couple of times just for the practice.

Gouache sketch, 5x7

I spent some time doing the pencil sketch. The color piece of this clump of trees is a gouache sketch I did a week or so ago, sitting inside on a rainy day. I can see these trunks from the dining table.

Then I set up the easel next to the RV and did a little practice piece with a larger tree over by the pond…

Tree Study, 5x7, Gouache

And finally, this man and his kids were fishing in the pond, moving around and having a great time:

Fishing With Dad, 5x7, Gouache Sketch

They never stayed still, of course, so I threw this pose down and just went at it. I stopped when they put their fishing gear away, and met them on the way up to their RV. This is not something I do very often or very well, but I really need to do more sketching from life in order to do it as we travel. Simple as it is, they seemed to be delighted to have it as a memento of their day of fishing.

Like this:

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Ralph,
You paint really excellent trees. They look so natural, as if air is moving around and through.

I like your fishing picture. It may be considered not finished, unsophisticated or naive. It does look a little like a child’s painting. I like it because it looks like a festive celebration of the occasion. Nice capture of the spirit and gesture of the event. The red, dark and white works well. Was the color by design or actual the colors? Can see it as a children’s book illustration.

Welcome!

Our odyssey began on an RV sales lot in January 2011. From there, we turned a twenty year dream into reality, living and travelling in a self-contained motorhome for three years. This is an account of that life. Today, we travel less, but still, the siren call of the road is loud and strong.